By Fidel Rahmati in The Khaama Press Online, October 11, 2023
According to sources, the Taliban did not allow a team of ten Pakistani doctors to land at Herat Airport.
A team of ten Pakistani doctors was denied entry to Herat Airport by the Taliban, preventing them from providing crucial medical assistance to earthquake victims in the city. Afghanistan International News Agency reported that the team included general surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, nurses, and paramedics.
The Taliban has not issued any official statement or comment regarding the matter.
Iran was among the first countries to send its relief workers to the earthquake-stricken area. The Iranian Red Crescent announced on Tuesday that it is ready to send more medical aid to the earthquake-affected areas of Herat.
Afghanistan’s healthcare system, which heavily relies on international aid, is facing a shortage of financial resources and healthcare personnel, especially in emergencies, two years after the Taliban took control and many international aid flows stopped.
The earthquake, which occurred on Saturday, has tragically claimed the lives of over 2,400 individuals and laid waste to at least 20 villages. The repeated occurrence of such a devastating calamity has left the local population deeply traumatized and urgently needed assistance.
The World Health Organization has stated that most victims are women and children.
Additionally, on Wednesday, another earthquake of a similar magnitude struck western Afghanistan. According to local sources, dozens of injured individuals from this Wednesday’s earthquake were transported to a nearby hospital in the Herat region, with two reported fatalities.
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-blocks-pakistani-medical-planes-aid-to-herat-earthquake-victims/
